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DS Handout 4

This document outlines the various types of attributes in data science, including nominal, binary, ordinal, and numeric attributes, along with their definitions and examples. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these attributes for accurate data analysis and processing, highlighting the specific operations applicable to each type. Additionally, it discusses discrete and continuous attributes, reinforcing the need for appropriate methods in data handling and analysis.

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7 views4 pages

DS Handout 4

This document outlines the various types of attributes in data science, including nominal, binary, ordinal, and numeric attributes, along with their definitions and examples. It emphasizes the importance of understanding these attributes for accurate data analysis and processing, highlighting the specific operations applicable to each type. Additionally, it discusses discrete and continuous attributes, reinforcing the need for appropriate methods in data handling and analysis.

Uploaded by

ALLAH IS ONE
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Data Science Technologies Handout 4

Types of Attributes
In data science, understanding the types of attributes in a dataset is crucial for accurate
analysis and processing. Attributes define the characteristics of the data, and they can vary
in terms of their value types, scale, and meaning. This document provides a detailed
overview of different types of attributes, with examples to illustrate how they function in a
dataset.

1. Nominal Attributes
• Definition: Nominal attributes are categorical variables that represent different
categories without any specific order or ranking.

• Example: Hair color (Black, Brown, Red, White).

• Key Characteristics:

• No inherent order.

• Categories are simply labels or names.

• Arithmetic operations are not meaningful (e.g., you cannot add black hair to
red hair).

• Operations:

• Frequency Count: Count how often each category occurs (e.g., how many
people have black hair).

2. Binary Attributes
• Definition: A type of nominal attribute with only two possible values.

• Example: Gender (Male, Female), COVID status (Positive, Negative), Smoking status
(Smoker, Non-smoker).

Handouts by Sheraz Nasser and Waleed Riaz pg. 1


• Key Characteristics:

• Two distinct categories or values.

• Types:

• Symmetric Binary Attribute: Both categories are equally important (e.g.,


Male and Female in gender classification).

• Asymmetric Binary Attribute: One category is more important (e.g., COVID-


Positive is more important than COVID-Negative).

• Operations:

• Frequency Count: Count how many of each binary value is present.

3. Ordinal Attributes
• Definition: Ordinal attributes are categorical variables where the categories have a
meaningful order or ranking.

• Example: Educational level (Junior, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor,


Professor).

• Key Characteristics:

• Categories have a specific order.

• There is no consistent difference between categories.

• Operations:

• Most Frequent Value (Mode): Identify the most common category.

• Median: The middle value in an ordered list of categories.

• Conversion from Numeric: You can convert a numeric attribute to an ordinal one
by defining ranges (e.g., Temperature as Low, Medium, High).

4. Numeric Attributes
Numeric attributes are quantitative and can be subjected to arithmetic operations. These
can be further divided into two types:

Handouts by Sheraz Nasser and Waleed Riaz pg. 2


• Interval-Scaled Attributes:

• Definition: Numeric attributes with a scale where there is no absolute zero


point.

• Example: Temperature (Celsius or Fahrenheit).

• Key Characteristics:

• No absolute zero.

• Equal intervals between values.

• Operations:

• Addition and Subtraction: Arithmetic operations like addition and


subtraction are meaningful (e.g., 30°C - 20°C = 10°C).

• Ratio-Scaled Attributes:

• Definition: Numeric attributes with a defined scale and an absolute zero.

• Example: Height (0 cm), Weight (0 kg), Years of Experience (0 years).

• Key Characteristics:

• Absolute zero exists.

• Ratios and multiples are meaningful (e.g., 2 meters is twice as long as


1 meter).

• Operations:

• Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division: All arithmetic


operations are meaningful (e.g., 2 meters is twice the length of 1
meter).

5. Discrete and Continuous Attributes


• Discrete Attributes: These attributes take whole numbers without any fractional
values.

• Example: Number of children in a family (1, 2, 3, etc.).

Handouts by Sheraz Nasser and Waleed Riaz pg. 3


• Continuous Attributes: These attributes can take any value, including fractions or
decimals.

• Example: Height (e.g., 5.5 cm), Weight (e.g., 60.3 kg).

Final Thoughts
1. Understanding different types of attributes is essential in data science for effective
data analysis and processing.
2. Each type of attribute – whether nominal, binary, ordinal, or numeric – requires
specific methods for analysis, and recognizing these differences is key to drawing
accurate conclusions from the data.
3. By correctly identifying the types of attributes, data scientists can choose the most
appropriate methods for data cleaning, exploration, and modeling, ensuring that the
data is handled efficiently and effectively.

Handouts by Sheraz Nasser and Waleed Riaz pg. 4

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